Asymmetric warfare is among the most difficult combat situations for any conventional military force. Military vehicles, such as patrol vehicles or troop transports, are prone to vehicle damage and crew or troop losses when exposed to explosions from improvised explosive devices (IEDs), mines or other explosive devices. Such explosions impact the bottom of a vehicle body, and can inflict pressure changes within the vehicle compartment that disable or kill troops or vehicle operators, or so damage the vehicle that it is no longer useable without extensive repair. Further, the vehicle can be forced into the air from the force of the explosion, and may roll over or injure troops/operators when it lands.
The nature of asymmetric warfare is such that with minimal expense, such as the expense for an IED or mine, an irregular or guerilla force or insurgency can disable very expensive military equipment, and inflict disproportionate casualties on a conventional military force. Mounting losses of this nature are one of the key objectives of such irregular guerilla groups, with the result of forcing a much larger conventional military force to withdraw simply because of the asymmetric losses of money, personnel and equipment.
In response to this type of combat, military vehicles have been developed which have blast mitigation properties, such that vehicle, crew and troop losses can be reduced. Undersides of military vehicles have been designed with shaped hulls to mitigate explosive forces by directing the force of the explosion around the vehicle hull, rather than present a flat or cluttered surface which permits pressure waves from an explosive force (i.e., blast energy) to accumulate on. Moreover, external shields have been placed over components to protect them from blasts, but these solutions are not integrated with the vehicle, they do not provide a “clean” space on a vehicle's underside, and compromise a vehicle's ride height clearance. However, these solutions have not been entirely satisfactory as the increased weight, costs and complexity make use of the vehicle, and field service of such vehicles, difficult. Moreover, equipment clutter in the underside of the vehicle is still an issue.
There is a continuing need for improvements in the blast profile of vehicles, especially vehicle undersides to deflect blast forces without injuring the operators or troops transported, and without subjecting vehicle components, such as drive differentials, to damage resulting from the blast.
There is further a continuing need to develop an improved blast mitigating housing without increasing the weight of a vehicle.